Automatic locking means for hydraulically-operated valves



Jul'"'"`27, 1926.

F. F. FISHER Au'romvlrxc: Locxnxa nms Fon HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED vALvEs Filed Dec. 31 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 21,1926., A 1,594,330

' F. F. FISHER AUTOMATIC `LOCKHG MEANS FOR HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED VALVES Filed Deo. .'51 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 27, 1926.

entre sra'rnsraten-r rice..

FRANK F. FISI-IER, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC LOCKING MEANS Fort HYnRAULIcAni-JYLOPERATED VALVES.

Application fried December ai, leze; sel-iai no. 759,056.

This invention relates to an automatic locking means for hydraulically operated valves, and has for its object an improved organization of parts by means ot' which such valves may be automatically locked in open position to prevent closure in case or' failure of the `actuating water pressure.

The release mechanism is hydraulically in-VVK terloclred with the closing side of thel valve actuating cylinder and thus does' not `in any way interfere with the ordinary operation of the valve in case it is desired to actuate it to position of closure. vice may thus be built as anfintegral part of the valve proper andthe four way valve controlling the movement of the main valve may be placed in'any convenient position.V It is of particular utility in connection with large power plants wherein under ordinary scribed, and I desire the scopeot this disclosure to be understood accordingly.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation 'oi' the upper end of the gate valve housing and or my. improved stem-catching mechanism posi#` y tioned thereabove, the same being in closed position.

Figure 2 is a similar elevational view with the parts in open or stem-'releasing position.

Figure 3 is a sectional detail elevation, on a larger scale than' that oi Figure2, showing the operation of the sl'arin'g-held piston relativelyV to the inclined riser members of the mechanismshown in Figures l and 2.

piston.

This de# conditions alarge yvolume or' waterper unity And, should the valveeactuating Figure l is an elevational view of my Figure 5 the line 5 the direction of the arrows there shown.

A indic'atesa conduit ofrelatively large isa cro'sssectional View along diameter, inv which is locked a gate valve B, the enclosing shell of which contains the piston D, from which the stein E rises through the suitably ap'ertured and stuffed terminal' closure F.

as being bluntly pointedat its tip end, so

5 of Figure l and looking' in" The upper end of the stem is vnotched or headed, as at Gr, aswell that when it rises suiiiciently high to be' A forced between the ymeeting upper ends of the inclined channel bar braces H, these beingkyieldingly held together as will be shortly explained, the stem can not fall so as to effect the closure ot the gatev valve unless and until these meeting Aends ofthe braces'are moved apart suiiiciently to permit the' notched or shouldered tip G to pass between" them. Thus, under ordinary service' conditions, when the gate valve is desired to be continuously open, it is automatically so held.

Each ofV the inclined brace members H is loosely pivoted at its lower end, aspat i M, to the top of the shell C. The resilient .holding ofthese inclined brace members is effected through the' medium of the linl's J tied together by the crosshead J whosemembers flank the stem E, as brought out .especially in Figure 5. These with the bracemembers H form an Ashaped construction, each of which is pivfoted at one end to one of them', as at K, `whereas the otherend of each is slotted, as at L, to permit the relative movement ot the braces to open and closure position as described, thus servinv as Guidino' and limitin elements b b b l tor'the brace members H. From' this crosshead J there extends an inserted stem N, which passes through a suitable aperture in the channel wall, and beyond into the piston chamber O, where its tip end is crowned by the nut Q, by means of which the vpiston P therein is held against the spring R, vwhose other en'd is held against yielding'by means oi the capV nut S, tastenedmov'ably to the brace H by means or the nut S; the cap nut S is preferably formed with an integral elongated' collar T, which serves as a bearing Vfor the limited sliding movement of the stem N into' the outer end of the cylinderV O. Thev centering of the braces H relatively toV thestem E is provided tor by means of the set screws M. Beyond the piston l? leads a pipe U, which is connected with the pipe U, which in turn is connected with an auxiliary though independent hydraulic source, as for example the pipe V. The take-ott or branch pipe X of this latter has interposed between it and the pipe U the tour-way valve W, by means of which the hydraulic pressure through the pipe V may be directed either into the pipe U above the piston D or into the pipe Y whose terminal enters the cylinder C, below the piston-D. A waste pipe Z may also be connected with the four-way valve for the release from the auxiliary hydraulic system of the surplus actuating water. There is also provided in the shell of the cylinder O a vent hole O to provide against either water-binding (or air-binding) of the piston P in case of leakage past it into the cylinder O in the course ot' service.

The theory and operation of this device is as follows: The desired position of the gate valve B during normal operation being the open one, the piston D carrying the stem E is raised, as by turning the four-way valve W, so that the hydraulic pressure that it controls may enter the cylinder C through the pipe Y below the piston'D. This connects the space above the piston D, pipes U and U and piston chamber O with the waste pipe Z, thus releasing it from all pressure, and thus bringing the device entirely under the control of the spring R. The shouldered tipy G of the valve stem is forced through the meeting upperends of the channel braces H, which latter, being yieldingly drawn toward one another by the pull of the spring R, serve to prevent the fallof the valve stem and thus leave the flow through the conduit A uninterrupted. When or if, however, the iiow through the conduit is to be interrupted, the four-way valve W may be operated to bring the pressure from the auxiliary hydraulic system V through the pipe U against the top of the piston D and with it through pipe U against the outer head of the piston P, thus forcing it against the spring R suiiiciently to permit the cessation of the yielding pull upon the channels H, to a degree that will permit them to fall apart enough for the head G of the stem E to pass between them, thus permitting the fall of the stem and consequently effecting the closure of the gate valve B.

What I claim is:

l. In combination with the stem of an hydraulic valve, a pivotally supported pair of inclined brace members rising on either side thereof, the meeting upper ends of said members being adapted to cooperate in holding said stem against falling after it has been raised therebetween, a spring-held piston for yieldingly holding said brace members in such holding position, and hydraulic means operable from an external source whereby the action of said spring-held piston on said brace members may be modilied to permit the fall of said hydraulic valve stem.

2. ln combination with a conduit gate, a piston and stem for operating the same.I the projecting outer end of said stem being headed, a pair of flanking brace members each pivotally mounted at one end and slid-- ably engaging said stem with their adjacent upper ends, means for yieldingly drawing said brace members toward one another and into interlocking position relatively to the headed end of said stem7 and pneumatic means independent ot that controlled by said gate, whereby the draw ot said spring may be regulatably varied, thereby permitting the fall of said stem from between said brace members and eiiecting the downward actuation of the piston to cause the closure of its gate valve.

3. The combination, with a headed valve stem, of a pair of brace members adapted to lockingly engage under the head of said stem when the same is in raised position, a spring-held link adapted to normally draw said brace members toward one another into such locking position, and remotely operable pneumatic means for varying the pull of said link upon said brace members, thereby permitting their swing away from engagement with said stem to a degree suflicient to permit its fall from its locked position between them.

4. An automatic locking mechanism 'for hydraulically operated valves, comprising a headed valve stem provided with a piston intermediate its ends and a gate valve on its opposite end from the headed portion, a conduit provided with a complementar-ily formed seat for said gate valve, a cylinder housing said parts and through one end of which the headed end of the valve stem slidably engages, a pair of limitedly movable brace members pivotally supported above said cylinder in flanking position with respect to said headed valve stem and in position to engage with their free ends under the headed portion thereoiI when said stem is in raised position, a spring-held cross piece adapted to normally hold said brace members in locking position with respect to said headed valve stem, thereby maintaining the continued open position of its gate valve, and means operable from an external point whereby the pull of said spring-held cross piece upon said brace members is overcome, thereby terminating the action of the latter in holding said headed valve stem in raised position and permitting its gate valve portion to move to closure position relatively to said conduit.

5. In combination with a pair of pivoted detent members for cooperatively holding the stem of a valve in raised position, spring-actuated means for drawingsaid members toward one another to effect such holding of the stem, and remotely operable pneumatic means for overcoming the pull of said spring-actuated means, to permit the fall of said stem from its position of engagement by said detent members.

6. In combination with an hydraulic valve stem, a pair oi pivoted brace members whose free ends are adapted to swing` into and out of engagement with said Valve stem,

means for yieldingly drawing,` said brace members into holding` position relatively to said Valve stem when the latter is in raised position, and externally operable pneumatic means for actuatingI said brace members away from one another to eflect the release of said valve stem from their holding engagement, thereby permitting its movement to closure position.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specilication.

FRANK F. FISHER. 

